Photo: Getty Images
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that access to drone technology is no longer limited to major state actors like Russia or Iran, but could soon be within reach of terrorist groups, criminal networks, and even lone attackers.
Speaking in the UK Parliament, Zelenskyy said that modern warfare has entered a phase where killing can be done cheaply and at long range. A single “Shahed” drone costs around $50,000, while traditional air defense missiles used to intercept them can cost up to $4 million.
He emphasized that Ukraine has managed to change this imbalance by using low-cost interceptor drones, capable of neutralizing incoming threats for under $10,000 each.
“Iranians knew that no air defense system in the world could stop such drones in such numbers. But we changed that,” he said.
Zelenskyy stressed that the danger now extends beyond state warfare, as mass attacks are no longer prohibitively expensive.
“We must be ready for any type of attack — including from non-state actors: criminal groups, terrorist organizations, and even individuals who can gain access to such technologies… It’s no longer only someone as wealthy and reckless as Putin who can afford this,” he said.
Shift on the battlefield
Earlier, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, noted that the growing use of drones is expanding the so-called “kill zone”, making frontline areas increasingly dangerous for infantry.
He added that Ukraine still maintains an advantage over Russia in the use of FPV drones, contributing to a loss of initiative on the Russian side.
